Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1887-02-25

WASHINGTON, d. O.. Feb, is. iss,

|
WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb, IS, 1887.
My Dear SIZE when our last letter
closed was about conducting yeu into the
| gloomy old Tower Of London, not however
through the TRAITORS Gate" or you might
never come out alive, have always thought
II better to reserve our sympathies for those
who need them now, rather than TO exhaust
them In sentimentaizing over what Is past
and gone and beyond remedy, but 1t would
take hard heart To 60 unmoved through
this dreary fortress unless all knowledge OF
history could first be obliterated from the
mind. Our hearts fairly ached Us we were
shown the apartments sacred TO the last
hours of Anne Boleyn, Mary OF Scots, Lady
Jane Grey, Sir Walter Raleigh, the Earl vi
Leicester and so many others and saw the
tracings of their own trembling hands upon
the walls, and then, passing over tho same
steps their weary feet had trod, were con.
Quoted to the spot where the guillotnc
awaited them, whence they were hurried to
final resting place In the little chapel be-
yond. And now history declares the most
Of these legalized murders 10 have been
crimes. VIII not future generations thus
condemn us for still retaining that relic of
barbarism capital punishment, aud wonder
that the light Of civilization aud christianity
did not show to us that until mans judy
ment is infallible he has no right to take
from his fellow man that which only On
Impotence can restore But perhaps our
eleven progressive States and the eight
Kingdoms which are experimenting in this
direction may BIO able TO show US such sta
tistcs as will decide the question for US.
We found most interesting character
In the person OF the guard, who showed
US through the chape! within these prison
walls, man who proudly wore his deco
rative badges, the most valuable of which
was medal conferred upon him for having
taken the first prisoner In the Crimean war.
Next we went int the armory, where there
Is wonderful display Of arms Of all ages
and descriptions most artlsticaly arranged.
Then came the royal regalia, crown Jewels,
swords of state, and all the paraphernalia
used at coronations, and the kornoor dia.
mond. These were enclosed In large case,
built up in the middle Of the room, tho whole
shielded by heavy closely woven wire doors
extending from floor TO ceiling All this Is
guarded by six hundred soldiers, who are In
charge Of the once palace, then prison, now
fortress We were glad TO turn our backs
upon the sad associations here and find our
way TO the British Museum--the museum
Of the world.
Here we stood face to iacc with ancient
Egyptians, Older than the Christian Era
dried up looking Egyptians, whose appear
ance might confirm the Darwnian theory.
II is said that the custom OF embalming
originated in the desire 10 preserve the body
for future occupancy by the soul, after the
soul had passed through various transfer.
matiens running through a period Of from
5000 TO 10000 years, but we did not see u
single mummy TO which any Egyptian of
good taste would be willing 10 return. Flesh
must have been heir 10 iswer bodily ills in
those days than now, if they wanted 10 keep
these old cadavas for further use, though
they all lock as though they might have
| died: Of jaundice, We were much inter-
ested in the ancient manuscripts depart.
ment and the earliest efforts in printing.
| The scribes Of those early days brought their
art to absolute perfection, and II is almost
impossible to believe that the human hand
could execute page after page Of such zen.
manshp AS even and symmetrical as could
possibly be produced by the most dcllcately
adjusted mechanism. or course II is the
work of mere copyists, original writers, You
know, are seldom good penmen, their brain
power being concentrated upon the matter
rather than the manner" Borrow q SER
mon from some earnest, brilliant preacher,
as did once, and see II you can tell whether
or not II is in the "orginal Greek !" But we
can linger no longer In the Museum.
Some things appall one by their magni-
tude, and when tell you that the guide
book" bought at the door, which Is merely
catalogue and not descriptive, contains
two hundred and thirty-six pages, you will
see why make ne effort at further descrip.
ton,
OF csursc we drove through Hyde Park
and Rotten Row-a drive where at differ.
ent hours may be seen the wealth, rank and
fashion Of London, both driving and riding
The liveries of the drivers Of State carriages
are very brilliant, the long silk hose, "fair
top" boots, and long-curlsd grey wigs dis
tinguishing these bearing a ducal crest
This park contains nearly 400 acres and It
lake called The Serpentine, also colossal
statue Of Achilles, made Of the guns taken
In battle by the Duke Of Wellington, 10
whose memory and TO that Of his compan-
ions In arms II Is erected.
Another poiat Of interest 10 the National
Monument 10 the Prince Consort, which
was reared by Parliament, the Queen and
the people, at cost Of 100000 The figure
Is Of gilt, under magnificent pagoda, while
at the four corners OF Us base are groups
Of exquisite statuary representing Europe,
Asia, Africa and America. II Is magnd-
cent, but little Of the Queens German
taste peeps cut In It's coloring.
st. James Park, much smaller, is near by,
surrounded by Buckingham and IT, James
Palaces and Marlborough House, the resi-
dencc Of the Prince Of Wales. In the lat.
ter, there was garden party given while
VIC were In London, but we did not attend.
| A a.. e.Cs -
associates In foreign country, and--er--
the Prince, you know well--enly "helr-
prcsumptive," whilo VIC arc all soverelgns
In our own right-so--we did not attend
Frank, however, was fortunate enough 10
sec the Queen and many Of the nobility on
their way 10 the entertainment, and has ever
since lamcnted that his masculine mind
could not take In the magnificent toilets
for our benefit The progress Of the royal
equlpage Is something gorgeous 10 behold
The street Is cleared by policemen, who
stand In lines only few feet apart, while
the gayly dressed, rcd coated and hclmeted
eutrders precedc the royal carriage drawn
by four horses, an escort Of Scotch High.
landers, In native costume, bringing up the
rear. Frank had full view Of her Majesty
and describes her rs an aged woman, In
black, with a stolld face, showing no emo.
ten whatever and making no response by
bow or smile 10 the cheers which every.
where greeted her. II Q thought she looked
weary and care. worn, as though her crown
had not kept OFF the burden Of sorrow and
OF years which mast come alike TO all
We were net able " gain admittance "
the House Of Parliament, owing ~ the
limited number Of passes allowed 10 our
minister, all having been Appropriated for
two weeks ahead Since the recent dyna.